Callen's Return
by BlackBear53
Summary: Sara's younger days come back with a vengeance. She has been stalked off and on for the past 15 years.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

California summers are either scorchers or a late spring day in New England: today, one of the aforementioned. It's going to be hot, heavy and steamy. A front began moving in from the south: it's bringing all the heat up from Baja California and the moisture off of the Pacific Ocean. We used to have days like this in Connecticut, when I lived there. The heat and moisture would come up from the Caribbean and maybe bring a hurricane with it. We don't get the hurricanes in California, but the heat is a killer. We'll have heat indexes and fire warnings in a few days.

Early morning can be sort of pleasant and Gretchen and I hung out in the back yard playing. She's playing and I'm relaxing. At six months pregnant, I get tired easily. The doorbell rang and we went to answer it. A florist delivery woman had arrived with flowers for me: two dozen red roses and a card. When I closed the door I was hesitant to open the card. Callen left me and the house two months ago. He came and played with Gretchen and ate dinner with us once a week. It felt like a requirement for being a Daddy or a rehearsal for a divorce and it made me sad. G left because I didn't tell him I was pregnant right away. He was in the middle of a major case and I wanted his head in the game, not his body in a box. He never quite understood that. There had been a bomber attached to the case that was aimed at our family but he never mentioned that until he was leaving.

I opened the card and found a note. It read:

Michelle and Sam are taking Gretchen for the night.

Put on your prettiest dress.

We are going to dinner.

Pick you up at six.

G

I must admit it surprised and excited me. It sounded positive but I became anxious; I had nothing to wear. Most of what I owned didn't fit anymore. I called Michelle and asked if she minded watching Gretchen this morning as well. Michelle excited is something else. She said that I could leave her all day and night. She obviously had high hopes for this dinner.

I dropped Gretchen off at Sam's house and headed for the mall. This dress needed to be perfect. I wanted my husband back. I stopped at the Maternity Shop and found a pretty peach colored dress that fit me to a T. I got a pedicure and a manicure to finish the look. I had just got my hair cut last week so that didn't need to be done. It was one o'clock and I needed a nap, a soak in the tube and a cup of tea.

When I got home the nap called me first. I had exhausted myself shopping. I didn't remember being this tired when being pregnant with Gretchen. It must be having one child and carrying another. After my nap I soaked in the tub, showered and got dressed. Perhaps I was a little too fussy with my hair but it's for a good cause.

Six o'clock came and went. Maybe he had cold feet? Maybe he changed his mind. I checked the answering machine. No message. I checked my cell phone. No message. Where was he? I texted Sam. He said that G had left with him, dressed and ready to go. He should be there soon. If not, call him back and he'd find him and kick his butt.

Sam can always make me laugh or get my mind off of things. So, OK, I felt better. Just then I heard the key in the lock and he walked through the door. He had dressed in a cobalt blue dress shirt; you know the kind that makes his eye color pop. He had on a navy suit coat and dark jeans and I fell in love all over again. He stood there looking at me and just gave the look that says it all: the hunger in his stare and a wee bit of come hither. I would have given up dinner at that point. The moment became a little awkward. "Thank you for the beautiful roses."

He waved it away. "They're for my beautiful lady and worth it." He crooked his arm and took my hand and put it there, "Shall we?"

As I took his arm I felt like a princess with her prince. He has always been able to make me feel that way.

Callen had reserved a table at Montmartre, a chic new place that has had a good review in the LA Times. It's a beautiful place and he had requested a table a little out of the way. I guess he was in the mood to talk. It's about time. The waiter came and took our drink order. We both ordered water with a slice of lime.

I looked at him with askance. "It's OK to have a drink."

He shook his head. "No. Marty and I had gone out after work one night. I guess that I had been knocking them back pretty heavily and Marty called me on it. He told me to work out the problem not drown it, because that was never the answer. Deeks said that he had tried that when Kensi went to Afghanistan, it was a mistake and Nell had kicked his ass for him. That conversation was a week ago and I haven't had a drink in a week and want to keep it that way."

We ordered filet mignon, twice baked potatoes and asparagus for dinner. It was delicious. We sat and talked about so many things, but, not us. I began to think it was like a first date. Before dessert came he broached the subject and it was a tenuous beginning.

Callen looked at me across the table and took my hand. "I do understand what you were trying to do, and I appreciate it, but in the future I don't want you to protect me. That's my job, to protect you." He stopped talking and looked around. "I would have liked to have known about the pregnancy so that I could have shared it with you from the beginning. I missed that with Gretchen and now with this baby. I've never felt the excitement of the beginning of a pregnancy. Someday I would like to feel that."

I looked at him and felt the pain he was feeling. "I'm so sorry G. I understand that, but do you understand my concerns? I wanted my husband to come home to us, but not in a box. I will try to accede to your wishes in the future just keep mine in mind as well."

He nodded agreement and took a sip of his water and looked around the room. He got a faraway look in his eyes and a sour expression. I could tell he had thought of something unpleasant. "The bomb in the kitchen was my fault. I had befriended a woman at the grocery store. She seemed nice, you know, someone that you say 'hi' to in passing, nothing more. She began being there all the time and I tried to back off. It made me uncomfortable. I didn't know what she would do. She placed the bomb in our house. I tried to talk her out of it but in the end Sam had to shoot her, in our kitchen. It made this argument more intense for me. I love you and want to be together as a family. How can we try to fix this?"

"We can communicate with each other and not be afraid to say what needs to be said." I know this sounded trite but what more could I say. "Tomorrow is a doctor's visit. I'm having an ultrasound. Would you like to come?" I was afraid it might be too little too late.

He smiled and said he'd love to come. "It might be exciting."

We had made headway.

On our way home he was quiet. "Do we need to pick up Gretchen at Sam's?

I looked at him and definitely enjoyed the view. "No, she's staying the night." I hesitated. "Would like to stay?"

He didn't answer right away and I wondered why. He thought before answering. "I would like to. I miss you and Gretchen. I just don't want you to think that would be how to solve our problems."

I understood how he felt. With a sense of sadness I agreed. "I don't think that way, I just miss you. Please come home."

"I will but it won't be tonight. I want to spend more time with you though. Can I come in for a few minutes?"

The fact that we had made headway this evening had me looking up and feeling a little sassy. I gazed into those gorgeous eyes and smiled. "Of course you can. It is your house after all."

We settled for water with lime again. It's needed after the hot, steamy day. Our house has air conditioning as do most homes in Los Angeles but being out of doors makes one thirsty. We sat and talked for over an hour. He then decided it was time to go back to the boatshed where he was living. He kissed me gently good-night and left. I crawled into bed that night and for the first time in two months felt hopeful. We both want our marriage to work. We'll find a way.


	2. Chapter 2&3

Chapter 2

The next morning I woke early and went to get Gretchen from Sam's. Michelle wanted the whole story and was disappointed that Callen hadn't stayed but happy that we had started talking again. We came home and Gretchen played in the backyard for a while. I must have been paying way too much attention to mud pies, because when I looked up my husband stood there. I hadn't heard him come in and out into the back yard.

G came, stood next to me and lightly touched my shoulder. I sensed discomfort and pain emanating from him "Can we talk?"

He had a wary, questioning, hurt look on his face. "Sure we can." Kensi came and took Gretchen and went to the park down the street.

I stood and we went into the house. "What's going on?"

G threw an envelope on the table. "Who's he?"

"Who's who?" I looked at the envelope and for one moment I had no idea. Then it dawned on me who the letter had come from. I hadn't heard from him in a long time and I wished it had been never. I must have turned ghostly pale because G held me as I started to crumble. My husband sat me on the couch and sat on the coffee table across from me.

His anger turned to concern. His eyes went from frosty blue to seawater turquoise. "Can I open the letter?"

I looked at the envelope and then looked out the back door. "I wish that you wouldn't."

He wouldn't let it go. He kept questioning me but without words. He just kept looking at me and then the envelope. He pushed one step closer to the truth. "Why can't I Sara?"

Tears began to form. I looked around the room at the life I loved. It had become my home and again he tried to take it from me. "He terrifies me and I don't want to know what he has to say."

G came and sat with me and he held my hand. "Sara, is he threatening you?"

I nodded. "But not the way you think. It isn't verbal. It's psychological. He does this every few years and I know that nothing will come of it because he is back in Connecticut and I'm here." I was valiantly trying to gain my composure.

The investigator in him pushed further but beside that investigator was my caring husband. "I want to open it and make sure Sara."

I looked away but nodded my assent.

Dearest Sara,

It is I; Edward, but you knew that. I always use the same stationery for you. I hope you are enjoying California. Isn't it beautiful here?

I have been watching you.

I am sorry that your husband left.

Could we get together and share old times? It has been a long time since we were together, hasn't it? Don't worry we will get together.

Your husband doesn't scare me.

Edward

I felt sick and I thought for a few moments I was going to be physically sick. G made me a cup of tea and set it on the coffee table. He also rallied the troops. Hetty was apprised of the situation and the Wonder Twins were set to work.

In twenty minutes Kensi came back from the park with Gretchen. Callen motioned to take her in the other room to play. Sam was on his way with Deeks. Eric was busy looking through the last month's traffic cams for a person who would be watching me.

My husband was angry but concerned as well. I don't usually see him that way. "How come you never told me about this?"

I looked down at the carpet. "I thought that once I moved here Edward would lose track of me and stop bothering me."

Callen sat down across from me holding my hands.

I looked up at him. "How did you get that letter?"

He continued to hold my hands. "Our mail is actually sent through the NCIS mail department in San Diego. After it's checked it's delivered to our house. San Diego alerted me to this letter and I had it sent to the mission. I wanted to deliver it to you to see your response. I didn't expect this. Who is this man and how do you know him?"

My sense of self was taking a beating and I just wanted that letter to disappear. He was harassing me from afar and I wanted to crawl in a hole and hide, "I knew him in high school. He hung out with the trouble makers. There had been a group of boys that delighted in tormenting the shy kids. I became one of those. In my sophomore year he decided I needed to be his plaything. He would break into my locker and take my things. The school didn't do anything to him so he escalated his pranks. He would call my friends and say horrid thing to them. I lost a lot of my friends that way. Most of them thought that I had told him things about them but I hadn't. Some of his other tortured souls must have. He went further. He started spreading rumors about me. How I was easy and liked certain creepy sexual things. I went to the police with that. They did nothing. It was my word against a cop's kid. In my senior year he upped the ante again. He tried to rape me. I fought him off and a friend and I went to the principal with it. The police were called and again nothing happened to him, not even a suspension from school." G crossed over and sat on the couch to hold me. He wanted me to drink my tea before he asked anymore questions. Sam tried to call Nate. He was catching a flight from where ever he was. Hetty had already called him. G had already called and postponed the Ultrasound until tomorrow.

Kensi came back in the room and heard the last part of the conversation. She had a question of her own which she asked in a tone that only my best friend would use. "Sara, did your parents know what happened to you?"

"No. My mom's illness took a turn for the worse and my father became even more wrapped up in her care. I couldn't interfere with that. My mom died my first year of college and my dad's emotional balance never came back after that. My father saw me graduate and get my first teaching job and then he faded away. He just quietly died and went to be with my mom."

Kensi reached over and hugged me.

I looked at my husband and reminded him of a conversation we had when we first met. "When we first met I told you I had bad luck with men. You and Mark were the only two men, other than my dad, who I meant something to. The others were users and abusers. Edward fits in the abuser category. I don't want to see him, hear him or be anywhere near him. That man scares me."

G stood up and moved towards the door. "Don't worry, you won't. I'm moving home."

Sam clasped his shoulder. "You won't be alone until we find him and lock him up."

Meanwhile a car pulled away from the curb four houses down from the Callen residence. In it, sat a man, wearing a baseball cap pulled down low on his head. When viewed from the street you couldn't see his face, exactly the way he wanted it. He had been watching the Callen house and had noticed that Callen had arrived with a woman. Maybe she's his new girlfriend. Then two other men had arrived together. The shaggy one was on the front porch talking on the phone and the big guy went inside with the rest of the group. He had seen the big guy before. He's a friend of Callen's. Now that all the party had arrived it was time to go. He'd be back, but the he would have goodies to add to the house. He wanted to know everything about his little sweetie, Sara. I'm going to enjoy this but Sara won't.

Chapter 3

Callen had asked Kensi to stay with Sara while he went to the boatshed to pick up his stuff. He also spoke to Eric and Nell about what they found. Eric said that there had been a man parked down the street for the better part of two weeks, the car turned out to be a rental and the man had a hat on and dark glasses. Facial recognition had been a bust. Today a new car pulled in but it only stayed 20 minutes or so. It seemed like the same guy. He has pulled his hat down too low and the car had tinted windows this time. Callen thanked Eric and told him to keep watch and let them know when the man came back. Eric gave a nod and went back to work. Nell asked about Sara.

Callen stopped in his tracks. He wondered why Nell was so standoffish with Sara lately. He specifically looked at Nell. "She needs her friends around her. Stop by and see her."

Nell nodded as well.

Callen, still mystified as how to handle this, headed home. He had concerns for his wife and their children, born and unborn. Callen spent his time driving, thinking about the letter. All the while a blue Volkswagen tailed him.

The follower knew what he was doing. He had done it several times before and enjoyed every second of torture he induced, right up to the last minute of the tortured soul's life.


	3. Chapter 3

Baja California must be burning this year. I have lived here for three years and it has never been like this. Thank goodness for air conditioning. We had an early appointment with the ultrasound people. Gretchen stayed home with Aunt Kensi and Uncle Deeks. G and I left for the doctor's office. As we drove he began to drive erratically and it wasn't in the direction of the doctors.

I held on tight. "What is going on G?"

"We're being followed. Call Eric and give him this description. It is a 2012 blue Volkswagen Bug with a driver, no passenger on Millward Street in Venice."

Eric promptly looked at the traffic cams and found our tail. He found that the car was rented at the airport to an Alexander Smith. We proceeded to the doctor's office and parked our car. The tail passed us. We didn't get a good look at the driver.

We went inside and sat in the waiting room for about ten minutes before they came for us. The nurse handed me a gown to put on and we were escorted to the ultrasound room. They let G sit next to me so that he could see everything. He was like a child at Christmas. He asked questions about everything and everyone. G amused the staff. They squeezed the warm gel on my bulge and went to work. They measured how big my uterus had become and how big the baby was. That's when the woman stopped and started measuring again. She did it a third time. She left the room and got another technician to help her. They started taking the pictures for the doctor and us.

The new technician asked if we wanted to know the sex and we said yes. She smiled and said boy…and girl.

G blinked, swallowed hard and smiled at her like she had told a bad joke. "What's going on?"

The technician smiled back and gave a little chuckle. "Mr. and Mrs. Callen you are having twins."

We were very quiet going home. G had asked for excitement. We didn't have a clue what to say at that point. I knew I had gotten bigger faster than with Gretchen. I had chalked it up to second baby. Well now we know. My husband hasn't said a word since they told us.

I watched him as he drove and realized, from the look on his face, that he was thinking amusing thoughts. He started smirking and his eyes were twinkling with mischief. "Is everything alright over there?"

He barked out a laugh and looked my way.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Hey you got what you asked for. It's going to be exciting at our house for the next twenty-one years."

He looked at me and smiled and then started to laugh harder. I didn't know how to react to him. "I am trying to think of ways to tell the team." I too thought it was funny. I just didn't know how he'd react, but I'm sure glad he's laughing.

When we got home Kensi and Gretchen were not there. We both got a little crazy with worry. G started calling her. She and Deeks had taken "Mini-Princess" out for lunch and ice cream. Hetty called looking for her agents and information on what's happening. G told her about the tail that morning. She said to watch our backs and to keep her grandchildren safe.

While everyone had ventured out the man in the blue Volkswagen entered the house and planted listening devices. He wanted to know everything about Sara that he had missed in the fifteen long years since high school. He needed to know how to torture her now.

Sam and Michelle wanted to know about the new baby. They invited everyone to their home that evening. Michelle also wanted to make sure Callen really went home…to stay. The pool was open as well. It had been a scorcher of a day and we all needed to be cooled off. I didn't own a bathing suit that fit; shorts and a tee shirt for me in the pool. Callen had taken his suit with him but he seldom swam. Maybe he'd go in with Gretchen. Hetty would even make an appearance this evening. Eric and Nell brought a cake to celebrate the news. They had it decorated with pink and blue. Callen and I smiled at each other when we saw it. We tried real hard not to laugh out loud.

After the men had barbequed the chicken and burgers and we had eaten, the main event started. Everyone kept asking us boy or girl. When asked, Callen said boy and when they asked me I said girl.

That went on for about twenty minutes until Eric said, "How can it be both boy and girl?" You could actually see the light go on behind his eyes. "Oh…..I get it…"

Everyone at the same time said, "Twins."

Deeks did a happy dance. He and Kensi could each hold one at the same time. He started talking about little ninja assassins called "Little Marty and Mini Kensi." Kensi punched him in the arm. Michelle asked if twins ran in my family. My grandmother had been a twin but that had been the maternal side. I hadn't expected it to happen to us. I wondered if they ran in Callen's family but there would be no way to know for sure.

It got late and we needed to get Gretchen home for bed. We said our good byes and left. Callen was very wary driving home. He didn't want a repeat of this morning. We made it home without a problem. The evening had exhausted me. I put the bathing suits out on the line to dry overnight and closed the door. It stuck a little and I called G to come look at it. It hadn't done that earlier. When he did look at it he said we would get someone in tomorrow to fix it. I didn't think anything of it except the heat made the door bulge a bit.

I then remembered something from long ago. "Edward had a friend, Alex Smithfield, as an accomplice in high school. Maybe he drove the car today?"

He shut off the lights in the kitchen and came to hold me. "We'll have Eric check tomorrow."

We went to bed but I don't think Callen slept much. I went to use the bathroom around three o'clock and he sat at the kitchen table cleaning his Sig. It made me nervous. I carry and am a good shot, but the way he worked on his pistol made me worry more. Maybe Edward had become more serious with time; he's here in Los Angeles after all. Why come thirty-five hundred miles to torture me? Tomorrow we meet with Nate and he'll give us some insight to the demented mind of Edward Stanton.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 6

The next morning, Sam had Eric run Edward Stanton through the system. He wanted to know what he had done in the last fifteen years. There had been brushes with the law before he had graduated from high school but none of the offenses were against Sara. He had been arrested and did time for blackmail. He got out and went to school for forensics and did very well at it. While in college there had been assaults on campus and the police looked at him but couldn't make it stick. He got jobs with police departments all across the country and would leave, sometimes after a few months and sometimes he was there for years and would abruptly quit. There was always a string of assaults and even deaths before he left. Most cases had no forensic evidence to solve the case with. It became more suspicious in Sam's eyes the further he read. The Santa Clarita Police Department had hired Edward about six months back. He would have Deeks quietly check him out with the help of SCPD. Sam needed to see Callen and tell him this and that his family's at risk.

Nate arrived at the door at 9:00. He looked good after all the months away. The nomadic life seemed to agree with him. I got him coffee and we sat in the dining room while Callen played with Gretchen.

Nate sat next to me on the couch and looked at the letter that we had received. "Sam has done some looking into the life of our friend Edward Stanton. He didn't and supposedly still, doesn't play well with others."

"I know that he had a bad temper and played grotesque tricks on people and others he tortured psychologically, what else has he done?"

Nate hesitated and looked for Callen before answering. "Sam believes that he tortured and killed women all across the country."

For some reason that surprised me. I hadn't thought of Edward as a killer. Teasing and tormenting yes, killing no. "What does that mean for us? What do you think he'll do now?"

"I'm not sure, but men like Edward do not, usually, turn around and become model citizens."

Callen came into the room and stood behind me. It felt good to have him at my back. I also knew that G had heard the conversation before this. I could feel him seething with anger.

Callen's not the only angry one. It pissed me off. "Why has it taken so long for him to come after me?"

Callen didn't miss a beat. "Those other women were practice. He must have perfected how to torture you before he grabs you. You're the one that got away."

I'm really irked now, but didn't want Callen to see how scared I also am. I showed a little bravado. "He may be surprised when he does. I refuse to be tortured like he used to do to me. I have changed a lot in the last fifteen years."

Nate looked up at Callen with a surprised look.

Callen sat next to me and hugged me. "That's my girl."

Chapter 7

Sam showed up on the doorstep later that morning. Sam looked up the street and saw the red Malibu sitting there. He called Eric to have it watched. When he came in he asked G. for a few moments to talk. Even though it was over ninety, with a humidity level that felt like the rainforest, they moved to the backyard. I could tell they were talking about my situation as they kept looking at me through the door. What had happened that made Sam so careful? They turned to come in and I knew I would shortly find out.

Sam asked me to join them in the living room. Callen sat next to me and asked for more information on Edward. I really didn't know what to tell them.

Sam sat across from. He had a sympathetic look on his face but he also wanted to keep his family safe. "How many letters has he sent you?"

"He sent me three in college that terrified me. One was right after my mother died. Then they stopped for a while. I got two just before I married Mark. They vilified me for marrying him. He said that I didn't "belong" to Mark and that I belonged to him." I began to get angry. Callen held my hand.

Sam looked perturbed by this news. He looked around the room, at G and then back to me. "You're doing fine and I know this is painful but we need to have these questions answered. Alright? How many more did you get?"

"After I married Mark they stopped again. When Mark died, I got another. It said that I belonged to him and that we would finally be together. That's when I escaped to Los Angeles. The police began looking into him and couldn't find him. His father had been a police captain and wouldn't believe his son was that deranged. I don't believe he helped them. When I moved home a letter sat waiting for me, just more of the same. They stopped at that point, until now."

Callen looked away and then back again. I could sense his anger but questions needed to be answered. "What was his home life like?"

"I don't know. I never got to know him outside of school just in school. I didn't want to know him."

Sam stood and took out his cell. He reached across to touch my hand to reassure me. "I'll have Eric look into his family and see what we can find out. He has done this too many times to not have home issues."

I looked up startled. "What are you talking about?" Sam went on to tell me about what happened to Edward, the prison time and all the mysterious murders all over the country, where ever he lived. The fact that he knew forensics made it all too coincidental. Sam's news frightened me. Nate's conversation had glossed over Edward's behavior and hadn't prepared me for this.

Sam got up to leave and about halfway to the door when a thought occurred. "If you need to get them out of here, Hetty still has Malibu open."

Callen nodded in acknowledgement. He looked at me and asked silently, do you want to leave again? I really didn't want to uproot Gretchen again. I shook my head no. He understood.

The man really had a good time at their expense, as he sat listening to their conversation. Who were these people and how did they find these things out? He wondered if Sara would move to Malibu or not. It would be easy to tail her and keep harassing her. He wanted her terrified. He had waited a long time for this. There had been so many rehearsals and each one made the job more intensely appealing for him. Sara, like all those women, in all those cities, that he had killed, needed to learn her place.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 9

Eric set up a monitoring program that watched Callen's house. Now he that, he had the camera in place he saw the blue Volkswagen pull up as Nell drove away and saw it leave again around midnight. He was going to have to call Callen soon. He had also had a program running to get details from all the police departments where Edward had worked and the women who had been murdered. That was still running. He'd check it again later.

Hetty came in at that moment and asked how things were looking. Eric told her about the car at Callen's and about the program he had running. She said to call Callen and keep an eye on that program. She then nodded to him and left. Eric put a call in to Callen. He told him about the blue Volkswagen and just as he hung up the computer program dinged.

Nell walked in and caught the pictures that had just popped up on the big careen. "Oh my god, look at those women."

Eric turned and his jaw dropped. Each of Edward's victims looked like Sara. They were all shorter, with shoulder length blond hair and hazel eyes. "Are you seeing this?" She didn't answer. She sat stunned. She looked at Eric and he picked up the phone and called Sam.

Sam ran through the doors in OPS. He looked at the screen and dialed Callen. "G. All the women Edward killed look just like Sara. Get her out of there. Now! I'm on my way." He turned to Eric. "Call Kensi and Deeks and have them meet me there." Eric called Kensi and Deeks and then filled Hetty in.

"Find this man Eric before he destroys our family." She growled.

The man realized he would have to make his move sooner than later. He got out of the car and slipped over the fence into the back yard. The bulge that had been made in the back door was just enough to let him through the door. Callen had his back to the door and the man hit him with the tire iron he carried. He didn't see Sara. He slowly made his way to the back rooms and found her asleep. He put his hand over her mouth and she awoke with a start. He signaled that she shouldn't make a sound and that she should go with him. They were absolutely silent as they left the house.

As Sam pulled up to the house a blue Volkswagen pulled in three doors down. Sam called the LAPD to come check it out. He went to the house and rang the doorbell. No one answered. He picked the lock and went in. Callen was lying on the kitchen floor and Gretchen was playing in her bed. He called for an ambulance and went to be with Gretchen. Kensi and Deeks arrived and found what Sam had found.

Deeks looked around. He didn't see Sara or Gretchen. "Where's Sara?"

"Gone. Our friend in the Volkswagen is back and LAPD is coming for him. Care to help them?"

It was an angry Deeks that started to the door. This man had messed with his family. "It will be my pleasure."

Kensi took Gretchen, got her dressed and then took her to Sam's. Michelle was upset by the happenings and said she would keep Gretchen as long as it took. The EMT's looked at Callen and transported him to Washington General Hospital. If Sam knew him, he wouldn't be there long.

Kensi came back and started her forensic check. She motioned for the guys to follow her into the back yard. "Callen was hit by that tire iron. You can see bits of hair and scalp on it. The bad guy got in through the back door. See this bump? It has been made within the last two days. It looks like Sara went with him voluntarily, but probably not happily. Nell also told me there are listening devices here. We should do all of our talking outside." Sam nodded. He understood why Edward had made his move. He heard his conversation with Callen.

LAPD pulled up alongside the blue Volkswagen and Deeks walked up to the other side. The man inside became flustered and began rambling about doing a favor for a friend. Deeks was becoming irritated with the rambling he looked away and pursed his lips. "So, is your friend Edward Stanton?" The man just stopped talking. "Where is Edward?" No answer. Deeks turned to the patrolmen. "Take him to the NCIS boatshed. I'll have two men there to keep our guest company till I can get there." They nodded and put the man from the car into the cruiser.

Sam called the mission. Hetty was in OPS. "Hetty we just sent Callen to Washington General. Sara is missing and Gretchen is at my house with Michelle. Edward grabbed Sara this morning after hitting G with a tire iron. Deeks and I are on our way to the boatshed to have a conversation with one of Edward's friends. Forensics and Kensi are at the house. Have Eric keep a lookout at the house for anything. You may want to go and make sure that Callen plays nice with the doctors."

Hetty sighed and in her most impressive voice she calmed all of Sam's fears "Don't worry about Mr. Callen. I'll take care of him."

Chapter 10

I sat quietly in the front seat of the red Malibu. I recognized it from in front of the house the other day. I also recognized the intense pleasure that Edward was exhibiting. He is still thinking that I am the same girl he knew in high school. He's going to be surprised. "Where are we going Edward?" He jolted abruptly when I spoke. It surprised him that I had spoken.

Edward sighed and looked ahead at where we were driving. "I'd like to take you back to Connecticut, but it is a little out of the way, so somewhere safe."

"Why are you doing this? Why don't you just take me home to my family?"

"Because you're not safe there. You need to be with me." He was strangely coherent for someone who had just kidnapped someone.

I began to think that we didn't know everything about what was going on. "What? I need to be with my husband and child."

"We'll talk later. I need to concentrate on driving. Driving out here is crazy." He continued driving. We ended up in San Ysidro, in a ramshackle cabin. He never covered my eyes so I knew he thought I was never leaving again. When we got into the cabin I could see that he had made an effort to make it neat and tidy. There was plenty of food and water. He had air conditioned the cabin and made it comfortable inside. What was going on here? "I need to go to work." He was waiting for something to happen. When whatever he waited for didn't happen, he picked up his keys and went to work. He conveniently locked the door from the outside and drove away. He left me untied and that worked but there was no phone so calling anyone was out of the question. I couldn't get out and even if I did I couldn't walk anywhere in my condition. I guess I will have to wait for help.

Chapter 11

It's a good thing that Hetty went to Washington General as Callen had played the doctor with his old tricks. He had let them look at the back of his head and bandage it. Now he wanted to leave.

Hetty gave him her most lethal stare. "Mr. Callen, sit back down and let the doctors do their job. What are you thinking by trying to leave so soon? You could have internal bleeding or something serious wrong with your brain. Let these people do their jobs." Callen just looked at her. "Am I getting through that thick head of yours?"

Callen looked at her and with his eyes he said so much to her. Hetty knew if anything were to happen to Sara, he would cease to exist as well. "Yes you are, Hetty, but he has Sara." She could hear the anguish in his voice. He was worried and so were they all. Edward's track record with the women was not good.

Hetty was not about to let him think negatively about his wife. "Let your team do their jobs. We will keep you informed every step of the way. They are the best, remember? Let the doctors make sure there is no bleeding on or in your brain. Your family doesn't need to lose you. Sara needs a healthy husband now, doesn't she?" Hetty asked.

Callen nodded his head and realized she was right though he still said, "Two or three more hours and I'm gone."

"Mr. Callen, be reasonable." Hetty grumbled. She was worried about the head wound and the ramifications of it.

He was worried about his family.

Chapter 12

Time passed slowly as I waited for Edward to return. There's nothing to do in the cabin.

Callen and I are a perfect match for boredom. We both get antsy, and our minds go to the extreme. Why am I here and why was Edward at work? It seemed like he wanted to be caught. We knew where he worked. I tried looking at the magazines that were left for me but they were two years old and I was bored. There was no current newspaper. I took a nap, made lunch, took another nap and waited. I was going to have to ask for something to do. Edward arrived and brought dinner with him. It was nice of him and I hadn't expected that. He was being nice and that was not who I remembered.

I looked sideways at him from the kitchen. "Can I ask you something?"

He came into the kitchen and sat at the table. He didn't seem cagey. He wanted to talk. "Alright, ask anything you want."

I was a little taken back by his openness but I asked anyway, "Why are you doing this after all these years? Why am I that important that you have to come back and torture me all over again?"

"I never tortured you in high school."

"Edward.." I looked him straight in the eyes and admonished him. "You took things from my locker, you drove away all my friends, you spread lies about me, why and why come back for more?" I needed answers for when Callen found me.

"I only took that beautiful gold bracelet from your locker and I did that to keep it from someone else. I didn't make those calls, he did it. The rumors were not my doing, I wouldn't have done that to you. I liked you a lot. He couldn't stand it. I went after you in our senior year to protect you from him."

"Why did you send me all those horrible letters?" I was beginning to worry about his answers. Was he so seriously mentally ill that he didn't know what he had done?

"My home life in high school was tough. My dad's a tough man. He didn't put up with nonsense and I tried not to give him any. I tried to be a good student, like you, but I am shy. I had friends but they were probably not the best influences. I would never have hurt you in any way. I just wanted to protect you from him."

I felt sorry for him but still remained wary. "Who is he?"

"I met him in our freshman year. I thought he was one of the guys, you know, fun to be around. He, however, liked having fun at other people's expense. When I met you in our sophomore year, he became angrier, more prone to pick on people. You were his target."

"Why was I his target?" I began to look around the cabin for a weapon if I needed one.

He responded slowly never meeting my eyes. "I liked you, a lot. I planned to ask you out. I wanted to spend time with you and every time I got the courage to ask you, he'd do something, stealing, and phone calls, whatever. I lost chance after chance with you because of him."

"Why did you take me then? I would be safe with Callen and Sam."

"I couldn't take the chance."

"Why?" I asked again.

"Because he is trying to kill you. He has killed seven women all around the country because of you and me. Every time I moved he found me and he killed another woman. It's a constant reminder that he is with me for life. He is mentally ill. Those women did nothing except resemble you. I live with that guilt. He did it because I can't love him like I loved you. I need to keep you safe." His eyes were full of tears and love. I could see that he meant me no harm.

I needed to talk to Callen or Sam so that they knew Edward would keep me safe and they could move on the real danger. But who was that? "Edward, who is he?" I hoped it wasn't an alternate ego. I just wanted it to be simple.

He sighed and said it felt good to finally be able to tell me how he felt, to be able to get things off his chest and his conscience. He asked me to call him Ed.

Chapter 13

After three hours Callen did just like the said he would. He checked out of the hospital against medical advice and Hetty's. Sam picked him up at the front door of the hospital and they went back to Callen's. He wanted to walk the crime scene and see things for himself. His mind worked better that way. Sam wanted to keep an eye on his partner as well. He has seen him do crazy stuff and get into trouble physically. He was a good agent and a good partner but had a death wish going for everything else. His family came before his own well-being and while Sam knew he would do the same, he might have taken a couple more hours in the ER before bolting.

Callen focused on the back door. When had the bulge happened and why? How did Edward know to just push the door? Was it in any of the dead women's forensic reports? Sam called Eric to have him look into it. Callen went into the bedroom. There was no sign of a struggle. "Sam, it looks like he wasn't trying to harm her, almost like he was gently helping her. But why take her and where did he take her?" Callen asked. He was trying to get inside Edward's head. "Maybe he knows something we don't." Callen said as a thought.

Chapter 14

Callen and Sam joined the others in the boatshed. The the man from the blue Volkswagen was in the interrogation room. LAPD had deposited him there for NCIS. They had no identification on him and he didn't cooperate with anyone. He wouldn't say anything to anyone. He just sat looking straight ahead, almost catatonic. Kensi and Callen were watching him on the big screen, trying to find a way to get through to him. They needed an entry point. Bringing up Edward Stanton just shut him down. The officer from LAPD said he hadn't said a word in the cruiser. Maybe they needed another entry other than Edward. Callen suggested that they use Sara's name as the entry.

Both the detective and the agent walked into the interrogation room and sat down opposite the man. His focus never wavered. They asked his name, nothing. They asked how he knew Edward, nothing. They asked what he was doing on Callen's street, nothing. They asked how he knew Sara. His eyes unfocused for one moment and then he focused on them.

Deeks looked at the man across the table, "Why are you looking for Sara Williams?"

"That bitch took him from me." He spoke but it was more like a mumble than a spoken word.

Deeks was confused. He turned to look through the louvres. He turned back to the man. "Took who away from you?"

"Edward. He was my friend. She took him away from me." His voice was very soft but with meaning.

Deeks noticed a look of worry on Sam's face. "How did that happen? She didn't like him in school. He antagonized her and ruined things for her. How did she take him from you?"

"He fell in love with her. He wanted to date her. I wouldn't let him and he didn't like my interference." he barked a cruel laugh.

Both Sam and Deeks had an awful feeling about this man. They looked at each other and the question needed to be asked. "Why would he have written all those letters and threaten her if he loved her? Why steal her things and call people and tell them terrible things, why did he try to rape her?"

The man started to smile. It was a smile that you don't want to see, ever.

Deeks wanted to change tack after the creepy smile. "What is your name? We didn't catch it when you were brought in." The man refused to say. "OK, I'll get LAPD to come in with a finger print kit and we'll find out ourselves." Both the agent and the detective got up and walked out of the room.

Eric was on the screen so Deeks asked about the car. "Eric, who was the car registered to?" "The Volkswagen was rented by an Alex Smith. I ran him through facial rec. It comes back as an Alexander Smithfield from East Hartland, Connecticut. Wait isn't that where Sara is from? Checking something. He graduated with her and Edward Stanton. He also spent time in an institution in Middletown. He was placed there because he had a nervous breakdown the year after high school. Wait a minute, checking something. That was the same time as when Stanton was incarcerated for blackmail. I wonder what the connection was." Eric pondered out loud.

Deeks spoke up. "Some kind of love triangle. He loved Edward and Edward loved Sara." They went back into the interrogation room.

Deeks sat across from the man. He was feeling angry so he sarcastically began to speak. "So, Alex, how is it that your rental was not registered in your own name? What is that? You didn't figure we'd find you that fast?" Sam sat across the room and watched Alex's face. It is always a good indicator to what goes on in the human mind. From the front room Kensi saw anger mixed with confusion. She saw victory in his eyes. He felt like he was about to take both Sara and Edward down. She became more concerned with the welfare of Callen's wife.

Sam also saw the look of anger and victory and thought, we need to find her soon. "Do you know where they are?"

Alex had a puzzled look. "She's at home with her family. I left her there when I left at midnight. Is this a trick to get me to talk?"

Deeks looked in Alex's face for some sort of emotion. "No it's an honest question."

What he saw was fear but for who? Was he in danger or was Sara?

Sam was still watching Alex's face. "Edward has her."

Alex's face went white. He began to thrash about. Sam had to hold him down. "That dumb fool. I was going to save him from her. She's going to get him killed."

"What were you going to do, Alex? Deeks realized what the answer was going be. "Kill her?" Alex looked up at them and smiled that awful smile again.

Chapter 15

I needed answers and the only one to give them to me sat across the table. He had been caring. I wasn't afraid of him. I watched his face as I asked my question. "So, Edward, I mean Ed… who is trying to kill me?"

"He went to school with us. He was jealous of you because I thought about you. I wanted to ask you out. I think my parents would have liked you. I went to jail for him. I didn't think he could handle jail. My father was furious. I took the blame for something that he did. Do you remember Melissa Kroll? He blackmailed her and then blamed me. I went to jail for him. He wasn't wound to tight in high school." Edward said.

Why was he protecting this man? I kept looking at his eyes. "Who?"

"He must have been the one to write those letters. I would never have done that to you. You were afraid of me and that hurt but you had a right to your own life. I wanted to see you after your mom died and console you, but you had your college friends and your dad. After your dad died I tried again but Mark Grandon stood there. I would have been in the way. I gave up and moved away. I already lived in New Haven working for the coroner's office and then a woman who resembled you was murdered. I got scared. I helped investigate but people were looking at me. I quit my job and moved to Baltimore. I was working for the Forensic Unit of the State Police. What a great job. Eighteen months later another blonde haired woman was found. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it? I quit again and moved to New Orleans. Three years later there was mass chaos there due to a hurricane. What shows up, another woman resembling you. I stayed for another six months and worked the case but there were no forensics. There hadn't been on any of the cases. I moved to Kansas City, Albuquerque, Seattle and Salt Lake City. Every time I moved he would follow me and another woman would die. Now I am here with you and so is he. He's been working up to this. He wants to kill us both." Edward said.

I walked over took his hand and asked one last time, "Who?"

He looked at me and held my hand, and said "I would have liked to have done this a long time ago, but I couldn't find you." He was losing control.

"Tell me Ed, who?"

He whispered to the air. "Alex."

"Ed, do you have a cell phone or can we get to a phone to call Callen?"

"Why?"

"We need to get you to safety. If Alex is this crazy we need to get us both of us out of here. He may know about this place. He has followed you for years. He might be on his way. Do you have a weapon?"

"I was very careful not to lead him here. He still thinks you are home and no I do not have a weapon."

Let me call Callen or Sam. They can help us. Maybe they have Alex already.

Edward thought about this and said, "I'm not so sure of cell coverage out here, but give it a try anyway."

I called G's cell and the call dropped. "Edward, we have to leave and get closer to the center of Los Angeles to get through or find a land line."

Edward was not eager to leave our hide-away. You could see that Alex scared him to death. "Ed, we have to go. We need to get to a safe place or a land line. Just take me home." Unfortunately I began to be impatient with him. I wanted to go home.

"Ok, I'll take you home. I just want you safe and Alex to leave me alone."

I smiled at him. For the first time in my life I thought that he had become a good man. "Ok, let's do this." We drove back to Los Angeles and as we drove I kept trying to get Callen's cell phone. Finally he answered.

"Callen" he barked.

I jumped in with, "Hey, we're heading back home. I have a lot of information to share with you. Be on the lookout for a man named," "Alex Smithfield?" we said together and I could see his smirk in my mind's eye.

He must have heard the surprise in my voice. "Yes!"

"We got him. Is Edward with you?"

"Yes and it is an interesting story. Where do you want us?"

"Come to the boatshed."

"We're on our way." I hung up but loved hearing his voice.

Chapter 16

When we arrived at the boatshed, Callen was waiting in the parking lot. He came to me and took me in his arms. "I love you." It was plainly said, but it was the truth. Edward looked away while we had our moment.

I wanted to stay in the moment but realized that Ed was uncomfortable. "G, you really need to thank Ed. He kept me safe from Alex."

He turned around and found Ed watching us. Callen extended his hand and Edward did too. "I'd do it again tomorrow if it needed to be done." G nodded his thanks and escorted us into the building. The team was waiting for us. Sam shook Edward's hand. Deeks and Kensi smiled and nodded their thanks.

"How do we handle this?" Sam asked. "We have no forensics from the crime scenes, including ours, except your head wound and the bulge in the back door."

"The bulge was made by Ed and we don't want to charge him."

"No, I didn't make the bulge in the door. Alex did. He has done that in every crime scene. That is how I knew to use the door." Ed explained.

"How do we get him to talk about the killings?" Asked Callen and he continued, "He needs a bit of a nudge in that direction."

"I could talk to him." Ed said quietly. I turned to him and said,

"You can't go in there, he wants to kill you as well."

"Sara is right, Ed, he wants you dead as much as he wants Sara dead. He feels that you both betrayed him. I can't let you do this." Callen said.

Edward stood his ground. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. I not only want him to tell you about his victims and that includes us, but I need to face him and the fears that I have had over the last eighteen years. He needs to know that I am free of him and that I will no longer sit idly by and watch him torture anyone again."

I looked in Callen's direction and knew if there was an argument that is where it would come from. "If you go, I go too."

"Sara, no." Kensi said.

I turned to look at my sister. "Kensi, I have to. That man tortured me on and off again for those years as well. He needs to know that I also am free of him." Callen didn't say a word, but I could feel those discomfort vibes from him. He motioned for me to follow him to the door and into the parking lot.

"I understand your need to do this but I'm against it. I'm worried for our little ones. What if he attacks you? What if he is that far out of his mind once he sees the two of you together?"

"If he doesn't see us together he'll think he won. I don't want that, neither does Ed. He tortured me and he will not get away with it nor will he escape punishment for killing those innocent women. I'm thinking of them as well as myself. Let me do this. Besides you'll be there to rescue us." I smiled at him and knew that I had won.

"Alright, let's figure this out with the team. You, you just be real careful," He gave me that look that says I love you.

Chapter 17

"Everything is all set. We let Ed and Sara into interrogation and they talk to Alex. We will guide the conversation, if it gets bogged down, through the earwigs. You just need to keep him talking while we record it. Got it?" Ed and I nodded yes and got up to go into the room.

Callen stopped me and squeezed my hand. "Be real careful in there and stay away from him."

"Yes dear."

He grabbed my hand tighter. "I'm serious. Any violent move he makes you come out. Do you hear me?"

I nodded to him and squeezed his hand. He opened the door and we walked in.

Alex looked up and saw us. His eyes never left us and he began to smile. I wondered what was going on behind those eyes. "Well, well, Edward. How nice to see you. I see you brought me a present."

Courageously Edward stepped between Alex and I. "No Alex, we've both come to say that we're done being afraid of you. You can't torture us anymore. We are moving on with our lives. You've taken mine from me for the last eighteen years. No more. Sara has tried to have a normal life and has almost made it. Every time she got close to normal you intervened again. She is done with it as well."

"Why did you have to kill all those women?" I knew that Callen would want those answers.

"I needed Edward to remember what I was capable of. He thought of me as week. That is why he went to prison for me. I'm not week. I'm smart. The time I spent in the institution, just time to plan my revenge on you, Sara."

"Why did you need revenge? I never gave Ed the time of day. I didn't like him. I ignored him. He was the cause of my pain. Now all these years later I find it was you and not him. Why Alex, did those seven women need to die? Why didn't you just come for me?"

Callen didn't like this line of questioning. He got as close to the door of interrogation as he could. Sam was next to him ready to go in.

Alex smiled his wicked smile. "I did come for you, but at the last minute things got changed and you weren't in the car."

I felt a wave of evil wash over me. "What car?"

"The one your husband drove. You remember Mark and the drunk driver? The man driving was a "friend" of mine. I set him on the course to meet your car. Unfortunately you weren't in the car. I'm real sorry for your loss." Alex said laughing. I felt like I had been gut punched.

Callen worried even more now. That had come from out of the blue and knew it had to be driving her mad with pain. Kensi came to the door and looked at him. He shook his head. If he knew his wife, she was in it to the end. Alex wouldn't stand a chance.

Edward looked at Alex with disgust. "You killed her husband? What kind of animal are you? That man did nothing to you, just like those women. I used to call you friend and worry about you, but you changed all that when you began stalking Sara, and then me. You're a sick individual and I will help put you away for a long time."

Alex just looked as if Edward were a fly to be swatted away. He got up from the chair and moved towards me. In his mind we were both pests to be exterminated. We had irked him for long enough. Edward came between them. "Just like it's always been Edward. You always favored her over me. I've had enough." He rushed Edward and pushed him back. In the fall backward, Edward's head hit the corner of the desk. Callen pushed through the door just as Alex moved towards me. He about to tackle Alex when Sam shot him in the leg. It made Alex push that much harder to get to Sara. Kensi shot him to stop him. I went to Edward and held him. We could hear the ambulance in the distance. I worried that it wouldn't get there in time. Callen held me as I held Edward. Alex was beyond the ambulance. The coroner would get him. I felt no remorse there. He killed Mark. I never saw that coming and it was going to take some time to come to terms with.

Chapter 18

The ambulance arrived and took Edward to Washington General. He made it to the hospital and into surgery but died on the table from blunt force trauma to the brain. I felt partially to blame. He had died protecting me. G was there for me and I felt that I needed Nate for a while and Hetty Ok'd it. G took me home and made dinner. I didn't eat much.

G sat on the couch holding me. I was feeling like I'd run into a wall over and over again. "What's on your mind Mrs. Callen?"

"A lot of things. Mark's death for one. I have to deal with the realities of that again. How do I tell his parents about this? It was painful enough the first time. How do I tell them that a deranged psycho killed their son, and that it was supposed to be me?"

G began to draw circles on my back. "Kensi would probably tell you that it is a lie that is best left in place. There is no reason that they need to feel that pain again."

I nodded in agreement. "Edward didn't need to die either. I feel bad that I never really got to know him. He carried the weight of the torture that Alex dealt us both for so long. I wished that I had known so that I could have helped him."

G took my face in his hands. He was trying to make a point. "You couldn't help him. He didn't want you to. His taking you was an act of defiance. His stepping between you and Alex was his final act. He knew that. He saved you from Alex. He wouldn't want you to feel bad about it. I felt like a kindred spirit with him. Neither of us would have allowed you to be hurt. " G held me. He had his arm over the babies and they both kicked at the same time. "Wow, soccer players."

I looked up at G and smiled. "Lastly, O Heart of Mine, I'm missing our daughter. Can we go and get her?"

He rose from the couch taking my hands to help me up and aped dialing with his thumb. "Calling Sam. Let's go my lady." He held his arm out and placed my hand in the crook as we walked out the door.


End file.
